Former Manitoba lieutenant-governor Pearl McGonigal — seen here with an autographed photo of Queen Elizabeth II — has many fond memories of royal visits, including submitting a personal cheesecake recipe for an official meal.
(TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Royal visits to Manitoba

Manitoba has been visited by British royalty many times through the decades. Here is a comprehensive glimpse of the members of the Royal Family and their time spent here.

July 25, 1882 -- The Manitoba Free Press reported that a "contemplated tour" of Manitoba by Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, and her husband the Marquis of Lorne, Canada's Governor General, didn't occur. But the paper said if the princess had come here the O'Donovan Roses party in the United States had planned to kidnap her and "hold her as a hostage until the Irish suspects were released from prison. The plot failed, however, because the Princess' visit to Manitoba was deferred."

1890 -- Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria's third son, and his wife the Duchess came to Winnipeg during a several-week-long tour of Canada. They arrived by train from B.C. on May 26, staying in the log house built by the Hudson's Bay Company in Silver Heights in 1856 and later occupied by Sir Donald Smith, Lord Strathcona, and by the province's first two lieutenant-governors before being destroyed in a fire in 1892. The next day they took the train to the CP Rail station and visited city hall where the mayor's daughter gave flowers to the duchess. They then went further down Main Street in a carriage, stopping to inspect the then-Hudson's Bay store there, before continuing across a bridge over the Assiniboine River, going down River Avenue, before crossing another bridge to get to Government House and an informal reception there. They headed back to leave from the rail station at noon. The duke was said to have declined a military escort through the city because "he desired to see the people as well as to meet all who wished to see him."

1901 -- Prince George, later King George V, came to Canada with his wife, who was later Queen Mary. While in Winnipeg during a tour in September, they went to a ceremony at city hall and Government House. They opened the new science building at the University of Manitoba. He gave medals to veterans of the Boer War and also soldiers who served under Lord Wolseley and General Middleton during the Red River Rebellion.

1906 -- Fifteen years after his father came, Prince Arthur of Connaught visited Winnipeg while travelling through the country for several weeks. While in the city he was greeted at city hall, he went to a lunch and dinner at Government House, he visited the Ogilvie Flour Mill, and viewed the city from the top of the Union Bank building (now Red River College's Paterson GlobalFoods Institute).

1912 -- The Duke of Connaught returns to visit the Winnipeg Exhibition more than 20 years after his first visit.

1919 -- Edward, the Prince of Wales, visited. A photo of his visit is on the wall of the Blue Room in the legislature, right above where the Prince of Wales chair sits. He later became King Edward VIII before abdicating the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. So many cheering people -- estimated at 60,000 -- greeted him outside Winnipeg's city hall that they surrounded his carriage and it took mounted police and 150 city police officers to push a path through the crowd. He then gave a speech at the newly opened legislative building. Later, while strolling with Mayor C.F. Gray, he told the press "I must cable my father and tell him what a splendid time I am enjoying." While here he also went golfing, visited the Grain Commission, and had a luncheon at the Royal Alexandra Hotel, before leaving for Saskatoon.

1923 -- Edward, the Prince of Wales, visited.

1926 -- Prince George, later Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, spent an hour in Winnipeg in an informal visit on the way from the West Coast to Ottawa and then to Newfoundland to sail back to England. A small one-paragraph article in the Free Press said "it is understood, however, that as little publicity as possible is desired by the British Royal Family regarding the prince's movements." But while he was here he was greeted by Lt.-Gov. T.A. Burrows at the train station and whisked to the Squash Rackets club to play a game with the lieutenant-governor's son, Arthur, and the club's president Clarence W. Jackson.

1927 -- Edward, the Prince of Wales, and his brother Prince George, both returned to spent a day in Winnipeg on Aug. 27, as part of a cross-country tour to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. While here they inspected the city's central steam heating plant, visited the Union Stockyards in St. Boniface, played a game of squash at the Winnipeg Squash Racket club (Prince of Wales played to a draw with the club's former president, but Prince George lost to the current president), played a game of golf with veterans at the St. Charles Country Club (the princes won), and took a car drive unescorted through the city, only being recognized by some newsboys who ran to their car to sell them newspapers.

1939 -- King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, the current Queen Elizabeth's parents, visit Winnipeg during a six-week coast to coast tour of Canada, the first time a reigning monarch had visited the country. While here on May 24, and four months before he delivered a speech depicted in the movie The King's Speech, the King delivered a Commonwealth-wide speech via radio from inside Government House. The desk where the speech was delivered is still in the building.

1941 -- Prince George, the Duke of Kent and the King's brother, visited Winnipeg and Manitoba to see firsthand how British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was going. He went to Brandon's manning depot, stopped in to see a group of British pilots graduate from the air school in Carberry, and then flew to Winnipeg to see a Bomber being built at the MacDonald Aircraft plant and the air observers' school. He also specifically met with more than 100 Polish Canadians to honour the contributions of Polish fighters in the Battle of Britain.

1951 -- The first official visit to Manitoba of the Princess Elizabeth and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

1954 - Philip visits Thompson by himself.

1955 -- Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V, visited Winnipeg and St. Boniface during an official visit.

1959 -- Queen Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh visit the province during their tour of Canada.

1967 -- Princess Alexandra, the Lady Ogilvy and the youngest granddaughter of King George V, goes to Brandon and Winnipeg during an official visit.

1967 -- Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, opens the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg.

1971 -- Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth, with her husband Lord Snowdon, to open the new Winnipeg Art Gallery.

1974 -- Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon come to the centennial of the City of Winnipeg.

1975 -- Prince Charles officially visits Winnipeg a second time. He had just visited the Northwest Territories where he had driven a sled dog team and dove under Arctic sea ice. While here he had dinner at Government House on April 29. He flew out the next day to Florida to join the Royal Naval ship he was assigned.

1978 -- Prince Philip visits Winnipeg and attends the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Foundation award.

1987 -- Prince Andrew and his wife Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of York, visit Winnipeg for four hours on July 22. During that time they went to the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, inspected a Guard of Honour from Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, and walked around crowds at the Legislature after a 40-minute reception inside. Prince Andrew apologized to the crowd for the short visit and said he hoped to come again.

1996 -- Prince Charles returns to the province a fourth time and visits Churchill and Winnipeg.

1997 -- Prince Philip comes to Manitoba to view damage in the wake of the Flood of the Century.

1999 -- Princess Anne attends the Pan American Games in Winnipeg and visited the stable where children with Manitoba Riding for Disabled receive therapeutic horseback riding.

2002 -- Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visit Winnipeg. While here she is treated to an outdoor concert on the grounds of the Legislature featuring Loreena McKennitt.

2003 -- Prince Michael of Kent, a grandson of George V and Queen Elizabeth's cousin, visits Winnipeg with his wife, Princess Michael of Kent, to attend the grand opening of phase three of the Leo Mol Garden in Assiniboine Park.

2007 -- Prince Edward returns a third time to present the Duke of Edinburgh awards in Winnipeg.

2010 -- Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip officially visit Winnipeg. It is her sixth visit and his 10th visit.

2014 -- Prince Charles visits Manitoba a fifth time accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

1975 -- Prince Charles officially visits Winnipeg a second time. He had just visited the Northwest Territories, where he had driven a sled-dog team and dove under Arctic sea ice. While here, he had dinner at Government House on April 29. He flew out the next day to Florida to join a Royal Navy ship he had been assigned to.

1979 -- Prince Charles visits Winnipeg a third time.

1996 -- Prince Charles returns to the province and visits Churchill and Winnipeg.

2014 -- Prince Charles visits Manitoba a fifth time accompanied by his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Prince of Wales chair has been part of Manitoba history for more than a century. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Tucked away in the legislative building behind locked doors with a blue rope draped in front of them is a chair you can't sit on.

It's reserved only for royal posteriors -- and there are small plaques commemorating almost everyone who has sat in it.

It's called the Prince of Wales chair. Dwight MacAulay, the province's chief of protocol, said it's so named because in 1860, then-Prince of Wales Albert Edward, later King Edward VII, sat in it during a visit to Saint John, N.B.

"Nobody but royalty can use it," MacAulay said as he closely watched a reporter and photographer examine it.

The ornately carved wooden and blue-leather chair, kept in the legislature's Blue Room, will likely be used during the visit by Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, when they are in Winnipeg Tuesday and Wednesday.

Then, once they are gone, the doors to the lush room accessorized with a deep blue carpet, blue curtains and blue-hued furniture, will be closed again.

The room is used for other special occasions, such as when the lieutenant-governor greets visiting dignitaries. But even they can't sit in the chair.

It was imported from England by the Saint John Club of Saint John for the prince. Later, an officer of the Halifax Garrison brought it to Manitoba when he was transferred here. It is specifically used for royal functions both at the legislature and at Government House.

Around the top of the chair, and on an added wooden backing, the small engraved plaques commemorate the various Royal Family members who have sat on it. They include Queen Elizabeth, who first sat in the chair while still a princess on Oct. 16, 1951; Prince George, later King George V, in 1901; Prince Edward, later King Edward VIII, in 1919; King George VI on May 24, 1939; Prince Charles on April 29, 1975; Princess Anne on July 24, 1999; Prince Edward on July 6, 1990, and March 26, 1993; Princess Margaret on Sept. 25, 1971; and Prince Andrew and his then-wife Sarah on July 22, 1987.

***

The first Royal to visit this province was Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, who was Queen Victoria's third son. The prince came to Winnipeg with the duchess as part of their 1890 tour of Canada.

The Manitoba Free Press at the time said crowds cheered their arrival at the CP Rail station and at city hall. The reports also gave a salute to the fact the prince had declined the offer of a military escort through the city because he wanted to meet the people.

It was 11 years before another Royal graced the city: Prince George, who became King George V when his grandmother, Queen Victoria, died in 1901.

When the prince came to Winnipeg in September 1901, the Free Press reported a large crowd began cheering when they first heard the royal train's whistle in the distance. The royal visitors opened the new science building at the University of Manitoba and met many people at ceremonies at city hall and Government House.

The next generation of British Royalty came when Queen Elizabeth, still a princess, arrived in 1951. She has been here six times. Her husband, Prince Philip, is the most frequent traveller to Manitoba of any British Royal, with 10 visits.

Prince Charles was 21 when he made his first visit to Manitoba, along with his mother, father and sister, Princess Anne. This will be his fifth visit to Manitoba.

***

Among the many treasured photographs from Pearl McGonigal's tenure as Manitoba lieutenant-governor is a photo of her with the Queen -- who is sitting in the Prince of Wales chair.

But her favourite royal memory involves cheesecake.

When the menu was being put together for the Queen's visit in 1984, McGonigal, who was lieutenant-governor from 1981 to 1986, submitted her own recipe for pumpkin cheesecake.

"I like to cook -- I always have," McGonigal said recently.

"Because the visit was going to be near Thanksgiving, and that's when pumpkins are around, I put in pumpkin cheesecake with the possible menus, which was sent to Buckingham Palace. A while later, I got a letter back. They didn't know what cheesecake was. I sent over the list of ingredients, and I later heard that's what (the Queen) chose for the menu.

"I gave the recipe to Milan Bodiroga at Dubrovnik Restaurant and he made it. When the dinner came, she had it and she liked it. It was so nice to see her eat it and enjoy it."

McGonigal treasures the Queen's reaction when she presented her with two presents: a specially commissioned horse blanket featuring red maple leafs in the corners -- a gift her husband came up with -- and two bottles of maple syrup.

"When she opened the maple syrup she said 'Oh good, we're just out of this and Philip and the children like it.'

"Then she opened the saddle blanket, and she was just delighted. The RCMP had just given her the horse Centennial, after giving her the horse Burmese, which was her favourite, a few years earlier.

"Her secretary said 'This would be for Centennial' but she (the Queen) said 'No, not for Centennial, this is for Burmese.' After that, she had our party taken down to the paddock and they brought Burmese out with the blanket. That was so special."

McGonigal also hosted a visit by Princess Anne in 1982, and she was in attendance as part of the welcome to Prince Charles in 1996.

"I had married Norm Coghlan not long before and (Prince Charles) greeted us," she said.

"But when he went by, (then-premier Gary Filmon) mentioned we were newlyweds and he said 'newlyweds?' and he came back to speak with us again for three or four minutes. He was so kind and so nice."

Earlier, when Charles came to Winnipeg in 1975, McGonigal said her teenaged daughter, Kim, was invited to a party for Charles along with other young women, all of whom were told they "couldn't have an escort," she added laughing.

"I think he will make a good king -- yes, I really do."

***

Because of the nature of his position, MacAulay can't divulge anything personal about the Royals he meets or what happens during the trips.

As for next week's visit, MacAulay said they're pleased Charles is going to visit the Assiniboine Zoo's new Journey to Churchill exhibit and meet Hudson the polar bear, because it links to his 1996 visit to Churchill shortly after the federal government created Wapusk National Park.

The Royals, who are in the city for 26 hours, will not be going to the soon-to-be open Canadian Museum for Human Rights, since the Queen laid the cornerstone when she was here two years ago.

But MacAulay expects a museum visit will be considered in future royal visits.

There is no shortage of ideas for places to visit. They come from all levels of government and take into consideration the special interests of the individual Royals, who give their input before the itinerary is finalized.

"You do have to have a sense of humour when you work on these trips because you have to hope everything is right all the time," MacAulay said.

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments.
All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments.
All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.